If you liked this article, why not learn how to do other things with your Tech Deck hobby? Check out my other articles related to this topic:How to Make a Tech DeckHow to Make a Tech Deck Half PipeHow to Make a Tech Deck Quarter Pipe

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How to Make a Tech Deck Half Pipe

One of the best ways to kick your finger boarding hobby up a notch is to learn how to make a Tech Deck half pipe of your very own. By doing so you can have a personalized ramp that nobody else has. You can make it as big or small as you want and even customize it with acrylic paint and give it some unique designs. There are a few ways of how to make a Tech Deck half pipe; one way is out of a block of wood, the other is to build one using cardboard held together with hot glue. Both methods are surprisingly simple but it still takes a bit of time and concentration.

How to Make a Tech Deck Half Pipe out of Wood

For this method you're going to need a block of wood. You can pick any size you want but for the sake of this article we are going to use a block with predetermined dimensions of 7 by 7 by 16 inches. After you learn how to make a Tech Deck half pipe out of wood, then you can use your skills to change up the size of the ramp.

Start out by creating the shape of the incline onto the largest face of the block of wood. To do this, set a compass to 7 inches and draw a 14-inch circle on a piece of paper. All you need is 1/2 of a circle so you can either try to draw it like that or you can use a straight edge to split a full circle and cut one of the sides out. After cutting it out, line it up against the block of wood and trace the arch. Since the wood we're using is 16 inches wide, you should have an inch of space on either side of the template.

The next step on how to make a Tech Deck half pipe is to take the block of wood to a band saw and start making your cuts. This part can be kind of difficult because of the curves of the ramp. Be careful when making your cuts and it's easier if you do it one side at a time and meet in the middle. You could also try using relief or release cuts, this way you can avoid bending the blade.

Use some medium grit sandpaper to smooth out the ramp's surface where you cut it. It's best to use short circular motions, and you'll want to pay close attention to sanding evenly so you don't warp the shape of the ramp. Keep the top edges on both sides kind of sharp that way you can grind on it easier.

The final part in this method to make a Tech Deck half pipe is to paint it. Acrylic paint works best and lasts a very long time, so I would recommend using that before anything else. When painting, apply three or four thin layers and allow each coat to dry for a little while in between each application. After creating a solid background, you can go back and touch things up or add artwork and designs that you like.

How to Make a Tech Deck Half Pipe out of Paper

If you're not big on woodworking, then this method is definitely for you. Not only is it cheaper, but it's also a lot easier in some ways as well, especially if you are unfamiliar with band saws. With this technique, you'll need some thick cardboard like from packing or shipping boxes, as well as some 3-by5-inch index cards, scissors, and a hot glue gun.

The first thing to do before making a Tech Deck half pipe out of paper is to make all the pieces for the frame. Draw the side view of one of these ramps onto a large piece of paper and cut it out. Try to keep it a reasonable size of about 15 inches long and 7 inches high, then trace it onto thick cardboard five times and cut each of them out to use as the frame.

Create a base for your frame by taping six index cards together. The ideal base will be 10 inches wide and 15 inches long. The next step on how to make a Tech Deck half pipe is to secure each of the cardboard frames to the base at every 2-inch increment. Make sure the frames are standing straight up and glue them one at a time to make sure they all stay upright and secure.

After fastening the cardboard frames to the base, start hot-gluing index cards to the tops to create an incline. Glue them all on evenly and cut off any excess hanging over the edges with some scissors. During this process of how to make a Tech Deck half pipe you'll need to make sure an index card is covering all parts of the ramp frame so that nothing is showing underneath. There will be spots on top of the ramp as well as on the back-sides on both ends.

Now that you have learned how to make a Tech Deck half pipe out of paper you can start customizing it with paint and markers to make it stand out. You could even add some of your favorite skateboarding decals to it for some extra flare. This part is all up to you; designing it is all up to you and you can do it however you want. Make sure all the paint and glue is dry before taking your fingerboard to it and busting out the tricks!

As you can see from this article, it's not as hard to make a Tech Deck half pipe as you thought. All you need is about an hour of time to dedicate to this project and you can have a brand new personalized addition to your miniature skate park. There are many other kinds of ramps you can build yourself as well. Be sure to check out my other InfoBarrel's for more information on how you can build more fingerboard ramps.